Updated May 12, 2008

Next Test Day - Tentative Wednesday July 30, 2008

Your VOLUNTEER Test Chair

Linda Postlewaite

Telephone:  403-652-3639 or 403-669-3066.

Okotoks Skating Club holds test days during the regular season and during our Summer School and Training Camp. Tests may also be tried at other clubs test days (e.g. High River or Calgary clubs). We try to schedule these days so that they don’t conflict with school, but this is not always possible. Your test day or test time may occur during school hours.

Test days are formal events with dress and appearance (hair and make-up) requirements, as well as behavioral expectations. Remember you are representing your club on these special days.

Skate Canada tests are the method of evaluating a skater's progress.  The tests fall into the four disciplines recognized by Skate Canada- Freeskate, Dance and Skating Skills each of these three disciplines are divided into six levels of achievement:

• Preliminary

• Junior Bronze

• Senior Bronze

• Junior Silver

• Senior Silver

• Gold

• Seventh level is added for Dances only - Diamond

and the interpretative tests divided into four levels:

• Introductory

• Bronze

• Silver

• Gold

The Okotoks Skating Club will hold three test days per year.  Any of our club members may try a Skate Canada Test at the discretion of their professional coach.  The skater will try the test in front of an independent Skate Canada evaluator.  Okotoks members participating in test must be in good standing with the club.

• Parents may be asked to volunteer to play music, ice captain or bring snacks for the meal provided for the evaluator.

• These days tend to be long days for the evaluators as well as your clubs Test Chairman and the day would not succeed without your volunteer help.

• The club and their skaters appreciate all that their parents do.

When test days are in progress Junior and/or Senior skating sessions may be cancelled due to the length of the test days.  Cancellation of regularly scheduled ice will be posted on the Club Website as well as the Club Bulletin Board in the Piper Arena.  Test days may run ahead of schedule and they do not wait for late arrivals.

There are fees to try each test.  All fees are payable prior to taking the test.  The Skate Canada fee is forwarded to Skate Canada.  Should a skater not be in good standing with the Okotoks Skating Club, they will NOT be allowed to try their test.  The Administration Fee charged for the tests are applied to cover the cost of ice rental, evaluator expenses, meals and mileage and the like.

Evaluators are volunteers only - they are not paid to their time.

Additional fees for dance partners will also be payable by the skater.  Coaching fees are arranged solely between the skater parent and the coach.